What Do You Look For in a Review??

What do you look for in a review?

Honesty

Honesty
Honesty

      Being honest about a book is about the most important thing any blogger can do. We aren't publicists, we aren't editors, we are readers. I know I have my blog to share my favorite books and help warn people away from those books that aren't very good. 

     Picking up a book after reading a glowing review - then HATING it, is a terrible feeling. I feel betrayed somewhat. Then afterword, I don't even want to visit the blog anymore thinking I can't trust the blogger or their views.

     I know that lots of bloggers hate to be mean and I totally understand that. I don't want anyone to be mean, but I do want them to be honest. If you didn't like it, state why! Were the characters underdeveloped? Unrealistic? Was the story just craaazy? We are all adults and we understand we don't have the same views. But be honest and don't LOVE a book when its only mediocre or you are getting free books. 

What do YOU look for in a review??

      

It's Monday! What Are You Reading??

It's Monday! -

What Are You Reading?

is hosted weekly on Mondays

by Sheila from
"One Person's Journey"

Post the books you read last week, books currently reading, and books you plan on finishing this week.

What I read this week...

"Without Regret"
By: R.L. Mathewson

Chris Williams is used to making sacrifices. For years he's done his duty by his family and his calling as he awaited the one person that was meant for him. When she finally came into his life she was nothing like the woman he'd expected. Instead of being the warrior ready to help him protect his family and the humans under his care he got.....

A computer geek named Isabella, who somehow managed to get her name on every Master's hit list. One minute she admits that she'd made a foolish mistake and the next she's kidnapped, held hostage by a crazy cult who steals her chocolate and she's sure is after her program, a program she has no plans on giving up anytime soon. As she tries to keep her wits about her the sexiest man she's ever seen claims her, only he doesn't seem to happy about it. It's clear that he doesn't want her, but the stubborn man just won't let her go even when it's clear that he may not have a choice.


"The Secret"
By: Julie Garwood

Judith Hampton was as beautiful as she was proud, as purposeful as she was loyal. The dear Scottish friend of her childhood was about to give birth, and Judith had promised to be at her side. But there was another, private reason for the journey from her bleak English home to the Highlands: to meet the father she had never known, the Laird Maclean. Nothing prepared her for the sight of the Scottish barbarian who was to escort her into his land ... Iain Maitland, Laird of his clan, a man more powerfully compelling than any she had ever encountered.

In a spirited clash of wills and customs, Judith reveled in the melting bliss of Iain's searching kisses, his passionate caresses. Perplexed by her sprightly defiance, bemused by her tender nature, Iain felt his soul growing into the light and warmth of her love. Surely nothing would wrench her from the affection and trust of Iain and his clan ... not even the truth about her father, a devastating secret that could shatter the boldest alliance, and the most glorious of loves!


"The Sweetest Tattoo"
By: Cameron Dane

Tattoo artist Kelsie Cole cannot believe her brother would give his best friend use of his cabin the same week he promised it to her. She had been butting heads with straight-laced John McBride since they were kids. John McBride only takes one week of vacation a year, and there isn’t any way he’s driving down a mountain back to Raleigh just because Kelsie Cole is already standing on the porch staking her claim when he arrives. The cabin has two rooms, and they are adults. They can share a space for seven days. It’s not like they’re attracted to each other or anything, right?


"Random"
By: Julie Garwood

In the dark days after the death of Richard the Lionhearted, lives and lands would fall into upheaval at the hands of a power-hungry British ruler and his violent minions. One victim of the scourge is innocent Gillian, who is a mere child when the cruel and ambitious Baron Alford slaughters her father and tears her family apart. Alford, determined to recover a jeweled box for the despotic King John, is furious when the precious treasure slips through his fingers--only to be lost for more than a decade.

Now a beautiful young woman, Gillian finds the key to resolving her past in handsome Scottish chieftains Ramsey Sinclair and Brodick Buchanan. With the cunning and courage of the daring Scotsmen, and with the friendship of a new ally, Bridgid KirkConnell, Gillian at last fights the unscrupulous Baron Alford, laying claim to her home, her family, and her father's reputation. But in the presence of the mighty warriors, Gillian and Bridgid discover that desire can be a weapon of conquest...betrayal can slay trust in a heartbeat...and the greatest risk of all is surrender--to the deep emotions of unexpected love.

What I'm Reading Now...

"Tall, Dark & Lonely"
By: R.L. Mathewson

Things are finally looking up for Madison. After years of scraping just to get by she lands her dream job and finally has a decent down payment for a house so she can move her brother and sister into a real home. It's too bad nothing ever goes the way it's supposed to. When the mother that abandoned them years ago suddenly shows up and moves them to New Hampshire Madison has no choice but to go or lose her brother and sister. Shoving her dreams aside yet again, Madison tries to make things work, it's really cold, her fifteen year old sister acts like a hooker in training, men act funny around her, her boss is a real jerk, she feels like an outsider, her best friend turns out to be a sixteen year old punk, and the incredibly handsome guy renting the room adjoining hers not only hogs the bathroom, taking three showers a day and leaving her with cold water, but he also has a secret. A secret that she becomes a bit obsessed with and can't let go no matter how many times she's warned off.

Detective Ephraim Williams learned long ago not to show any emotion or allow himself to get attached to humans. What was the point? They came and went and he remained. This time wouldn't be any different or so he thought. When his landlady told him her grandchildren were moving in he didn't expect much, well other than to be left alone. What he didn't expect was to have to fight bloodlust every time he so much as caught a whiff of his delectable neighbor's scent or her bombarding him with questions every time she cornered him. If that's not bad enough a Master from his past has found him once again and is demanding his blood and is willing to do anything to get it, even using the exasperating neighbor that makes him feel more than pain for the first time in centuries. 

Follow Friday - Inspirations

FEATURE AND FOLLOW FRIDAY IS A BLOG HOP PUT TOGETHER BY TWO HOSTS: PARAJUNKEE AND ALISON CAN READ AS A WAY TO HELP BLOGGERS BECOME AWARE OF OTHER BLOGS AND BLOGGERS. 

IT'S A GREAT WAY TO MAKE NEW BLOGGER FRIENDS.

Oh my goodness, there are so many fabulous blogs out there that I absolutely loooove!

Be prepared, it’s a huge list and definitely inspiring!

Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

Who doesn't love this snarky, fun romance site. 
If they give it a good review, I immediately buy it!

Parajunkee

I really love her Blogger 101 posts - always great tips in an easy to understand format

Cute Overload

Why does this uber cute blog inspire me? 
This one just makes me happy and I think that is something we should all aspire to do

I read hundreds of blogs a day and this is just a small sample of my favorites...but these are definitely the most inspiring.

What blog inspires you?

Winners

Congratulations to the following winner!

The winner is: "RubySwan" (redz041@yahoo.com)

Giveaway, Guest Post & Blog Tour "Biting Oz" By: Mary Hughes

Welcome to the "Biting Oz" 
Book Blog Tour!

But someone is threatening the show’s young star. To save the production, Junior must join forces with the star’s dark, secretive bodyguard, whose sapphire eyes and lyrical Welsh accent thrill her. And whose hard, muscular body sets fire to her passions.

Fierce as a warrior, enigmatic as a druid, Glynn Rhys-Jenkins has searched eight hundred years for a home. Junior’s get-out-of-Dodge attitude burns him, but everything else about her inflames him, from her petite body and sharp mind to what she can do with her hip-length braid.

Then a sensuous, insidious evil threatens not only the show, but the very foundations of Meiers Corners. To fight it, Junior and Glynn must face the truth about themselves—and the true meaning of love and home.

Product Warnings

Cue the music, click your heels together, make a wish and get ready for one steamy vampire romance. Contains biting, multiple climaxes, embarrassing innuendos, ka-click/ka-ching violence, sausage wars and—shudder—pistachio fluff.

A word from Mary Hughes - 

Thank you to the Brunette Librarian for having me here today!

Inspiration behind the book?

      As a musician, playing for live shows is one of my joys. My pit orchestras are usually a small group, generally friends, often including my husband. Not only is the show fun and exciting, but we have plenty of laughs and disasters both onstage and off.

      As a writer, my prime goal is entertaining readers. Biting Oz immerses you in the world of theater, from the bright glitter of the show to the nitty-gritty action behind the scenes.

      Much of my inspiration comes from direct experience, enhanced by imagination. When I starting Biting Oz I had just played Reed II for The Wizard of Oz and it was fresh in my mind. I myself lugged around a huge tenor sax (and it was as bone-numbingly awkward as Junior says), although I admit I never whacked a vampire with it. Our real life Toto was a hoot, getting bored and plopping down to lick his, um, scenery. In the book my Toto gets even more creative J. Other real-life Oz stories: friend and trumpet player Karen W remembers “having Toto come up and sniff you at the edge of the pit.” A musical friend recounts “Professor Marvels’s camp site was complete with a camp fire (light and fan, etc.)…[and]…during one performance, Toto (a real pooch) kept sticking his nose in the ‘flames’ to see if there were more hot dogs in there!” That was the performance where “the music room below stage began flooding with sewage from the sump pump. [They] closed the doors and the show went on.....Later captioned by [a national news source] as ‘If I only had a drain!’”

       I’ll just share two other pit stories (not in Biting Oz but maybe a future book :). My husband nearly got beaned by a croquet ball in Little Mary Sunshine (the pit is below the stage) and took to wearing a hard hat to rehearsals. Reed player Leah D remembers a production of Into The Woods. “We had this ugly little cheap stuffed animal as our ‘pit mascot.’ Mostly, we’d stick him in funny places on someone else's stand, horn, music, gigbag, whatever. Our drummer, Barb, was commissioned with finding just the right sound for the giant’s footsteps. She found that holding the feet of the ugly stuffed animal and whacking its head into the bass drum was exactly the sound the director wanted. Heh heh...”

     As you can see, quite a bit goes on offstage too. Excitement, laughs, disasters, and relationships. What better inspiration for a story?

The Librarian's Thoughts:
Such a fun story! Fans of vampires will definitely love this one! It made me laugh out loud several times and the romance was pretty awesome :) In the mood for a fun fast romance with great characters, pick this one up! I'm definitely going to be reading the rest of the series as soon as I can get my hands on it!

What can you win?

Comment at the bottom on this guest post to win YOUR choice of a Mary Hughes' novel! 

In addition, fill out the form to enter to win ALL 5 of Mary's Biting Love series!

Contest ends August 28th

Check out the other awesome stops on the tour for more chances to win!

8/14 - Readheads Review It Better

8/15 - Ravishing Romances

8/16 - Brunette Librarian

8/17 - Harlie's Books

8/20 - Black Raven's Erotic Cafe

8/21 - Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

8/22 - My Odd Little World

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme where we let everyone know what books we are eagerly anticipating the release of. 

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine

"Tempt Me"
By: Olivia Cunning

The members of the rock band Sole Regret struggle to find true, lasting love while maintaining their superstar personas and bad boy reputations.

Expected Publication: August 19, 2012

What are you Waiting on this Wednesday?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Be sure to checkout the THREE giveaways I have going on right now! 
Leave a comment and get entered!

Sizzling Books of Summer Giveaway Hop

The Sizzling Books of Summer Giveaway Hop is for the books you've read this summer that have made you sizzle. 

 Grab some sun tan lotion, sun glasses, bathing suit and a yummy drink, this hop is sure to be a hot one! 

What book made me sizzle this summer?? 

Without a doubt, one of the wildest romances I read this summer was "Backstage Pass" By: Olivia Cunning.

Human Sexuality Professor, Myrna Evans, wants nothing but a weekend of 

hot, no-strings-attached sex with Sinners' sensual lead guitarist, 

but Brian Sinclair is looking for something more permanent than a one-

night stand.  Unable to compose music for months, when Brian makes love to uninhibited Myrna, he hears exquisite guitar riffs and finger-




burning solos.  In Myrna, he's found his muse.

What mixed drink would go with this awesomely hot summer read?

Try a Cherry Popper Cocktail (In honor of Trey)

Ingredients:

1 short of Strawberry schnapps

7-Up or Sprite

1 Cherry

Add the strawberry schnapps to a glass, and fill with 7-Up. Drop in a cherry, and serve. 

Giveaway!

In honor of one of my favorite reads this summer, I am giving away your choice of Olivia Cunning e-book to two winners. She has several books out right now but "Backstage Pass" By: Olivia Cunning is definitely a favorite of mine.

 If you have all of Olivia's awesome books, I'm totally up for another hot author with a similar price tag.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the other hops at the My Secret Romance Blog

"Star Crossed" Giveaway & Blog Tour

 

Star Crossed 

(Battered Hearts Book 2)

by Kele Moon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Heavyweight UFC fighter, Romeo Wellings comes from the hard streets of New York where his family ties to the mafia cause him nothing but pain. His life takes a surprising detour when he crosses paths with the twin sister of his long time enemy. After a steamy one-night stand, he faces the fight of his life, but it’s not in the cage. The secret relationship that blooms between Romeo and his real life Juliet has him battling his family and a dark past rather than let her go.

The only lawyer in her hometown of Garnet, Jules Conner is also a volunteer Sheriff’s deputy and co-owner of a successful MMA training center. Strong and dependable, Jules is always there for those who need her. Until one forbidden night in Las Vegas with Romeo leaves her feeling so alive she can’t stop reaching out to the sexy, bad boy of MMA, even knowing the forbidden love affair could jeopardize everything.

As the tide rises against them and the people they love work at keeping them apart, Romeo and Jules hold onto a dream for a better life together and vow to go down fighting rather than accept a tragic ending.

EXCERPT:

Jules reached into her purse to pull out a business card and an expensive gold pen. She laughed to herself, shaking her head as she wrote on the back of the card. “If you would’ve told me yesterday I’d be buying Romeo Wellings dinner, I’d have called you crazy. Things change faster than I can keep up with sometimes.”
Romeo had to agree. The very last thing he expected to be doing on his remaining night in Las Vegas was having dinner with Wyatt Conner’s sister. He’d spent a good deal of time hating the bastard. The irony wasn’t lost on him, and his smile was wide as he took Jules’s card when she offered it. He stared at her cell number on the back.
“I’m not your enemy.” Romeo lifted his gaze to hers and studied her beautiful face under the bright Nevada sun. “Juliet.”
She gasped in surprise, her eyes growing wide. “I don’t—” She floundered. Her cheeks flushed pink as she narrowed icy eyes at him. “How?”
“That’s what Jules is short for, isn’t it?” he asked simply, refusing to look away. “Juliet.”
“I go by Jules,” she said rather than rise to the bait. For a brief moment it looked like she might reach over and snatch the card back. Her guard was obviously up, but instead of lashing out and rescinding the offer, she looked to his left hand that was wrapped in a white gauze bandage and sighed in defeat. “I’ll see ya at eight, Wellings.”
“I go by Romeo.”
“Fine.” Jules took a deep breath, her cheeks more flushed than ever. “Then eight o’clock, Romeo.”
He did it then, took one long, hard look of Jules Conner standing there in formfitting jeans that clung to her long legs like a second skin. It took everything he had not to adjust himself, because eyeing her made his jeans tighter than usual.
Romeo gave her a devious smile. With a voice low and husky with anticipation, he said, “I’ll look forward to it.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

A freckle-faced redhead born and raised in Hawaii, Kele Moon has always been a bit of a sore thumb and has come to enjoy the novelty of it. She thrives on pushing the envelope and finding ways to make the impossible work in her story telling. With a mad passion for romance, she adores the art of falling in love. The only rules she believes in is that, in love, there are no rules and true love knows no bounds.

So obsessed is she with the beauty of romance and the novelty of creating it, she’s lost in her own wonder world most of the time. Thankfully she married her own dark, handsome, brooding hero who has infinite patience for her airy ways and attempts to keep her grounded. When she leaves her keys in the refrigerator or her cell phone in the oven, he’s usually there to save her from herself. The two of them now reside in Florida with their three beautiful children, who make their lives both fun and challenging in equal parts—they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Email: kelemoon@me.com

Website: http://www.kelemoon.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kele_Moon

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelemoon

My Thoughts:
    I literally devoured “Star Crossed” in two or three hours on a Saturday night after work. I had never read anything like it and was instantly entranced. Unfortunately for me, this is the second book in the series, so I was a little lost not having read the first book...but it didn’t dampen my enthusiasm or enjoyment one bit!
     Jules (Juliet) and Romeo are simply beautiful together. Jules meets Romeo after Romeo saved her best friend Clay’s girlfriend in the first book. Instantly she’s attracted to Romeo, he’s slightly outrageous, outgoing, a star MMA fighter and pretty full of himself. He’s so different from what she’s been used to and she’s completely opposite to what he has surrounded himself with.
     Much of the novel takes place through text messages, which I quite enjoyed. Romeo is from New York with Jules living in Texas, yet they make their unorthodox relationship work. These two very different people find what they are missing in themselves, in one another. It was quite cute and utterly endearing to say the least.
     This is the first Kele Moon book I have read, but it will most definitely not be the last. The minute I finished, I went to Barnes and Noble and purchased the first book “Defying the Odds” which I quite enjoyed as well. They both take place in the world of cage fighting and it looks like this will have at least one more book if not more within the series. Easily one of my favorite romances of the year, I definitely recommend this book to romance fans the world over!
 

Book Details

Publisher: Loose ID

Date of Publication: July 3, 2012

# of Pages: 294

ISBN: 978-1611189

What can you win??? 

Kele will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

So comment away and let us know, 
what are your favorite characteristics in a hero?

Stop by the other sponsors for more info on Kele Moon and her amazing books!

August 13:   Love To Read For Fun
August 14:   The Brunette Librarian
August 14:  Mimmi's Musing's 
August 15:  The Romanceaholic
August 16:  A Tasty Read
August 20:  Under The Covers Book Blog
August 21:  Sultry Storyteller
August 27:  Reviews by Molly
August 28:  Books Reviewed by Bunny
August 28:   The Steamy Side
August 29:  Views From Nature
August 30:  Crazy Four Books
August 31:  Delighted Reader Book Reviews
August 31:  Wicked Readings By Tawania
September 3:   Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess
September 4:  Queen of the Night Reviews
September 5:  My Secret Romance Book Reviews
September 5:   Wickedly Wanton Tales
September 6:  Slave's Erotic Reviews
September 6:  Black Hippie Chick's View on Books & the World
September 7:  Reader Girls

Hot Summer Heroes Blog Hop

Welcome to the Summer Heroes Blog Hop!

I am so excited to have you here! 

Welcome! 

Are you tired of hopping around and seeing all these hot heroes? :) 

I am a huge fan of romance, which I bet you can tell just by checking out my blog for a few minutes. But what makes a hero, a true bonafide "hot" hero? 

At the top of my list is intelligence. A smart hero is a hot hero in my book. Kindness is second. That macho stuff only goes so far, if a hero isn't kind, I'm not interested.

So in the interests of sharing some of my favorite reads, I'm giving away your choice of the following e-books. The following books I've read, enjoyed, and have all of the qualities I want in my hot hero! 

"Hearts in Darkness" 

By: Laura Kaye

Makenna James thinks her day can't get any worse, until she finds herself stuck in a pitch-black elevator with a complete stranger. Distracted by a phone call and juggling too much stuff, the pin-striped accountant caught only a glimpse of a dragon tattoo on his hand before the lights went out.

Caden Grayson is amused when a redhead literally falls at his feet. His amusement turns to panic when the power fails. Despite his piercings, tats, and vicious scar, he's terrified of the dark and confined spaces. Now, he's trapped in his own worst nightmare.

To fight fear, they must both reach out and open up. With no preconceived notions based on looks to hold them back, they discover just how much they have in common. In the warming darkness, attraction grows and sparks fly, but will they feel the same when the lights come back on?

OR YOUR CHOICE OF ANY R.L. MATHEWSON TITLE

    

How do you win? 

Leave a comment with your e-mail. 

The winner will be chosen August 20th.

Easy, peezy, lemon squeezy! 

Have a wonderful summer and enjoy your hot heroes! 

Click on the Blog Hop banner to hop to the next blog

To keep updated on the next contest and awesome books coming out, consider following us through GFC, RSS, or Facebook! 

Not necessary to win, but we'd love you for it!

"Defying the Odds" By: Kele Moon Review

"Defying the Odds"

By: Kele Moon

Synopsis from Goodreads:

      When struggling waitress Melody Dylan gives a handsome, lonely stranger a simple gift she has no clue her life is about to take a drastic turn.
     The stranger ends up being Clay Powers, a famous UFC heavyweight fighter. Clay’s large build and dangerous fists have always intimidated. People in his hometown keep their distance and Clay is fine with that. Everything changes when a new waitress at the local diner buys him a piece of pie on thanksgiving. Touched by the gesture when it’s obvious she can barely afford to survive, her warm smile and lush body churn up powerful feelings that leave Clay wanting more from her than pie.
     Melody is running from her past and the small, country town of Garnet is the perfect hiding place. With an ex-husband after her and scars from her abusive marriage etched deep, the last thing she expects is to fall for a man who makes a living with his fists, but she can’t resist Clay or the tender connection they share.
     Finding love in the most unlikely of places, the passion is undeniable, but Clay and Melody know their haunted pasts and unpredictable futures leave the odds stacked against them.

My Thoughts:
     The novel opens as Clay is sitting in a diner by himself on Thanksgiving and an unassuming waitress brings him a piece of pie. Melody, our heroine, has just left a disastrous marriage and is fleeing from an abusive husband. She has no money, no family, and very few friends. Clay is attracted to Mel, a woman who has no idea of his fame and simply isn’t interested in his money. Mel is attracted to Clay for his easygoing attitude and sweet nature.
    The romance in this novel is very sweet, kind of like a melty Hershey’s bar. Clay is such a tough, strong man used to fighting for everything he has ever gotten. Mel is a brave young woman having left her abusive husband with nothing more than the clothes on her back. They come together slowly at first, but its worth the ride, because once they become a couple, it’s instant fireworks. Sure its sticky sweet, but its the best sort, I assure you.

“How’d this happen?” Melody asked in a stunned whisper. She never expected to fall in love and certainly not this swiftly or with this much finality. “We just met.”
“I don’t believe that,” Clay argued as he turned her palm over in his and traced the lines of it with the pad of his finger. “I’m pretty sure we’ve known each other forever. Seeing you the first time was like coming home, and there ain’t been anything to happen since that’s disabused me of the notion.”
“Yeah,” Melody agreed, the bright skyline blurring to a sea of vibrant color. She remembered seeing Clay in Hal’s Diner the first time. Alone and eating his turkey, she’d been compelled to reach out to him. “Do you really believe in soul mates?”
“I do now.”

    Beyond these two characters that you instantly fall in love with, the secondary characters create an engaging atmosphere that is absolutely hilarious. Clay lives with the Connor twins Jules and Wyatt, who are both hilarious. Jules is the heroine of the second novel, “Star Crossed,” so be sure to check that one out. (Blog Tour stopping by on Tuesday, August 14th with a giveaway!) Here’s hoping Wyatt is in the third installment!
    “Defying the Odds” will bring you into the world of Ultimate Fighting, but Melody and Clay will keep you there. The beginning of the “Battered Hearts” series, Clay and Melody meet one another over a piece of pie and romance and adventure ensue. Endearing and fun, here’s hoping you will love Mel and Clay just as much I did! I am addicted to this series and will absolutely be checking up on the rest of Kele Moon’s work!

Book Details

Publisher: Loose ID

# of Pages: 160

Date of Publication: December 20, 2011

ISBN: 978-1611186932